Method and Apparatus for Assigning a Specific Reagent to a Reaction Space

Abstract

A method for assigning at least one specific reagent to a reaction space of a carrier device for the processing of a substance within a microfluidic analysis system includes: reading in a spatial pattern arrangement of the reaction spaces on the carrier device, at least a first reaction space assigned a first specific reagent and a second reaction space assigned a second specific reagent; determining a starting reaction space to which a specific reagent has not yet been assigned; measuring a first and second spatial distances, respectively, between the starting reaction space and the first and second reaction spaces; and defining the first specific reagent as the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the first distance is greater than the second distance and/or defining the second specific reagent as the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the second distance is greater than the first distance.

1 . A method for assigning at least one specific reagent to at least one reaction space of a carrier device for processing of a substance within a microfluidic analysis system, the method comprising:
 reading in a spatial pattern arrangement of the reaction spaces on the carrier device, wherein at least a first reaction space is assigned a first specific reagent, and a second reaction space is assigned a second specific reagent;   determining a starting reaction space to which a specific reagent has not yet been assigned;   measuring a first spatial distance between the starting reaction space and the first reaction space and a second spatial distance between the starting reaction space and the second reaction space; and   defining the first specific reagent as the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the first distance is greater than the second distance and/or defining the second specific reagent as the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the second distance is greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 during the reading in step of the spatial pattern arrangement, a third specific reagent is assigned to a third reaction space,   the measuring includes comparing a third spatial distance between the starting reaction space and the third reaction space with the second distance and the first distance, and   the defining includes defining the third specific reagent to be the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the third distance is greater than the second distance and the first distance.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein different specific reagents of the at least one specific reagent are each assigned to a respective reaction space of the at least one reaction space prior to the reading in of the spatial pattern arrangement step. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 prior to the reading in of the spatial pattern arrangement, assigning a specific reagent of at least one specific reagent to a reaction space of at least one reaction space that has a greater distance from an edge region of the pattern arrangement than another reaction space of at least one reaction space.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the steps of the method are repeatedly performed for a further starting reaction space that is different from the starting reaction space. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein a first polar angle of a first position of the starting reaction space in a selected polar coordinate system having an origin at a center of the sprial pattern arrangement is smaller than a second polar angle of a second position of the further starting reaction space with respect to the selected polar coordinate system having the origin at the center of the pattern arrangement. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein a first radius of a first position of the starting reaction space in a selected polar coordinate system having an origin at a center of the pattern arrangement is at least equal to a second radius of a second position of the further starting reaction space in the selected polar coordinate system having an the origin at the center of the pattern arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein, during the defining, the first specific reagent is defined to be the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the first distance and the second distance are equal and if the first specific reagent has been used less than the second specific reagent so far over the entire pattern arrangement. 
     
     
         9 . A carrier device for a microfluidic analysis system, the carrier device comprising:
 the at least one specific reagent assigned to at least one reaction space of the carrier device according to the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a reading unit configured to control a reading in of a spatial pattern arrangement of reaction spaces on a carrier device for processing of a substance within a microfluidic analysis system, wherein at least a first reaction space is assigned a first specific reagent, and a second reaction space is assigned a second specific reagent;   a determining unit configured to control a determination of a starting reaction space to which a specific reagent has not yet been assigned;   a measuring unit configured to control a measurement of a first spatial distance between the starting reaction space and the first reaction space and a second spatial distance between the starting reaction space and the second reaction space; and   a defining unit configured to control a definition of the first specific reagent as the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the first distance is greater than the second distance and/or defining the second specific reagent as the specific reagent of the starting reaction space if the second distance is greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         11 . A computer program configured to execute the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program according to  claim 11  is stored. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein a third polar angle of a third position of another starting reaction space with respect to the selected polar coordinate system having the origin at the center of the pattern arrangement is larger than the second polar angle of the position of the further starting reaction space. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein a third radius of a third position of another starting reaction space with respect to the selected polar coordinate system with the origin in the center of the pattern arrangement is larger than the second radius of the position of the further starting reaction space.